Fire-making or burning lenses, in the form of a convex lens that can concentrate solar light and thereby ignite an exposed surface, have been known since ancient times.
Similarly, fire striker devices have been used since in various forms since early times. Originally used by striking iron pyrites with flint, later devices and methods used steel with various types of hard rock.
Even in modern times there is widespread interest in the outdoor community in fire-making devices that use natural and traditional methods for lighting a fire or lighting tobacco products.
Devices exist for lighting a cigarette with focused sunlight and modern fire steel devices are also widely available. However, these devices are restricted in that they only allow one mode of usage, and one method of ignition, and therefore a hiker may be forced to carry several devices, or resort to inconvenient procedures for using one device for several purposes, some of which the device may not have been designed for.
As such, considering the foregoing, it may be appreciated that there continues to be a need for novel and improved lighter and fire-making devices and methods.